Acpuncture for your dog?

Gracie is 8 now, and she is starting to be bothered by arthritis. I am reluctant to put her on any of the NSAIDS, like Rimadyl (see: http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/most-dogs-do-well-on-rimadyl-except-the-ones-that-die/) because I know of 3 dogs of her breed who have died suddenly,and it has been traced back to Rimadyl use. 

I am thinking about acupuncture for her, and would like to hear from you if you have done it for your dog. I'd like to know your opinion of the effectiveness, what practitioner you used, and the legnth of treatment and approximate cost per visit.

Thank you.  And because I take every opportunity to post a picture of my girl, here she is this weekend when she was introduced to garden statuary.    (she is licking it on its head)

I personally haven't had experience with my pets but my vet, Dr. Howard Miller, is certified in Acupuncture.  Maybe give them a call just to "feel it out"...

http://www.eaglerockvethosp.com/doctors-and-staff

Aww. Poor baby. Hope you find a good treatment for her.

Neighbors across the street had it done for their dog and they saw marked improvement.

I'll try to get the Dr name - I think it was out by you.

Thanks,@cats! I will look into that practice!

Thanks, Peggy, it is not advanced arthritis, but I notice,sometimes, a little trouble getting up. I want to get her started on a treatment plan, so that it doesn't get any worse.

Thanks, Joy! There was a woman vet at Fanwood animal hospital, but my understanding is she is no longer there.

BTW, are there vets who will give referrals for this kind of treatment? I wonder if someone like Dr. Levine might have an open mind and get that you don't want to put her on something that could have bad side effects, especially if she is only just beginning to have problems. Similarly, are there dietary supplements that might help? I have read that glucosamine/chondroitin is said to be good for animals, but haven't tried it. Could be worth putting her on a joint support regimen of some kind now, before the condition is more advanced.

To answer your question, Peggy, yes there are nutritional supplements, and my dog refuses to take them. I wouldn't even try to pill her, and she spits out the specially formulated treats. I bought a $50 jar of high quality Joint Health Supplement powder, mixed it up with the Parmesan cheese she loves---and she went off her food for 2 days. ( a few times, whenever I tried to mix it with something edible, she is not food motivated---won't eat liverwurst, cream cheese, peanut butter, etc. and other things that are good for camouflaging meds) So that's out. Which leaves me with acupuncture.

kthnry, very good information and I will follow up. Thank you!

Yes, I get it. Phooey. Difficult when our loved pets do their best to foil our efforts to help them feel better!

I recommend Dr. Bea in Chestnut Ridge, NY. Yes, it's a hike, and it was worth it for us when Red was suffering badly from pain in his legs or hips.

http://www.vetatthebarn.com/staff.html

Her real name is Dr. Beatrice Ehrsam. Lovely doctor. We now patronize her other office in New Paltz, as we spend weekends in that area. All the doctors and staff there are lovely.

A neighbor's pug had severe spinal issues and improved significantly with water therapy. I can't remember exactly where they took him but here's one possibility: http://www.dogpt.com/services.htm

We were at Westfield Animal Hospital this weekend and they also offer cold laser therapy for arthritis -- maybe another non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical option to explore?

Good luck!

Calli, FWIW we used acupressure and acupuncture for Min for a while after she was 14:  really helped her especially in the winter.   Our vet was younger and had learned in her general training, so incorporated the basic principles as she examined Min. She noticed a vast improvement in Min's temperament and ability to tolerate pain plus her flexibility improved so we built some proper sessions for a couple of years.

Then we moved here and couldn't find a decent vet.

I hope Gracie continues to lead the elegant and almost effortless life you have given her - she deserves it, for having a heart so big, she loves everyone she meets!

I know of a holistic vet in West Orange who makes house calls....and I know of a vet in Verona who is a certified acupuncturist...I have my dog covered by health insurance which covers this thankfully.  yes, it helped....for sure....please private message me and i will get you the info for both.  Gracie is a beauty.

Hope you can find a good acpuncturest for  your sweet Gracie , perhaps it will be the best solution. Good luck and keep us posted!

Thank you all for the wonderful, informative replies. @beppolina, I am transferring Gracie's records to Westfield Veterinary and Wellness Center, because they have treated both my cats, and it is just more convenient--- I liked all the vets there and the vet techs who came to my home to administer the sub-Q fluids to Sarabeth----they were a godsend.  We are due to go in for a well visit and shot update, so I will ask about the cold laser---

and onehandclapping, thank you and I will pm you in the next couple of days.

Tom, thanks for the rec for Dr. Bea, but while Gracie is a great traveler, I am not

Here's my girl, having her needles removed and getting ready for a cold laser treatment at Dr. Cheng's office.

Funny, there's a certain MOL poster who claims that animal acupuncture is hooey, but when I was looking up board-certified acupuncture vets in my current town (San Antonio), one of the dozen or so listed is the medical director at the San Antonio zoo and another is a large-animal vet who is the official vet for the SA stock show and rodeo -- neither of them in the kind of practice where they would be able to sell services to gullible pet owners. There must be something to acupuncture after all.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Daily-drama-of-the-rodeo-vet-3345026.php

I took my dog for a few acupuncture treatments at Westfield some years ago. I started with a woman who I really liked, but she left the practice to move out of state. The acupuncture role was taken over by a guy who didn't inspire as much confidence. However, since you're there anyway, you might try the cold laser. I think pretty much anyone can do a laser treatment effectively, while acupuncture requires more training and skill.

Dr. Gerald Buchoff does acupuncture and makes housecalls...973/632-2483

My sister takes her elderly dogs for acupuncture and it does seem to work...she is not in this area so no recommendation to make other than an anecdotal statement of efficacy.  We just recently started our elderly dog on a regiment of Adequan shots which is supposed to help replace lost lubricant in the joints...seems to also help.